BT Receives OA Employer Recognition Award

BT has been presented with the 2018 Officers’ Association (OA) Employer Recognition Award, which recognises BT’s commitment to providing veterans with sustainable employment opportunities, for example, with BT Security, and employability support through its Transition Force programme.

The OA Employer Recognition Award is given to an employer who recognises and utilises the transferable skills and qualities of the officer corps as part of their overall recruitment strategy.

These are two elements of BT’s Armed Forces Covenant, which ensure that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly.

Recognised as one of the leading military recruitment programmes of its kind in the UK, BT supports serving personnel, veterans, reservists, wounded, injured and sick, spouses and military charities, providing opportunities for employability support, employment and skills development. In return, BT gives back to “UK plc”, and BT is able to benefit from the experience and skills of former veterans who demonstrate better performance, retention and lower sickness absence than many of their peers.

Mark Arscott, Head of Military Engagement at BT said “The experience and skills of Armed Forces leavers and veterans translate really well to the civilian world, and BT’s continuing employment of veterans, and their success within the business, is testament to that. In addition, BT’s Transition Force programme, which supports veterans in their search for civilian employment, adds an important layer of bespoke 1:1 advice, guidance and support from an employer’s perspective, and ensures that their career journey is even better informed.”

“It’s hugely rewarding to receive recognition from the Officers’ Association for the work we’ve done, but it’s crucial that we don’t get complacent and continue to work hard to develop supportive environments where veterans can thrive and put their skills to use.”

Lee Holloway, CEO of the Officers’ Association said: “The OA is able to work alongside BT’s recruitment team to highlight job roles to officers and understand how their business capitalises on the officer’s transferable skills. We are then able to feedback to those deciding which career path to follow on leaving the Services. It is just one of the practical ways the OA works with businesses.”

BT has long been an employer of choice for ex-armed forces personnel, employing an estimated 4,000 veterans, including over 2,500 recruited into Openreach since 2011. BT is also the leading employer of armed forces reservists in the UK.

Lee Holloway: “The OA Employer Recognition Award is our acknowledgement and expression of thanks to BT for their on-going commitment to recruit from one of the most highly trained and skilled talent pools our country offers. It also helps spread the word to other businesses about the value of hiring former military personnel and the absolute difference they can make to their workforce, their business and society as a whole.”

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